Today in Russia, Medvedev’s government fell. It happened after Vladimir Putin’s presidential speech in which the Russian president said he intended to lead a referendum on various constitutional reforms in order to strengthen parliamentary powers.
Immediately, several political analysts denounced Putin’s intention: to return to the post of prime minister – who he held for four years between 2008 and 2012 – and to perform his duties with extended powers. This is because by 2024, the current Russian president will reach the limit of two presidential terms and will not be able to re-apply.
In 2018 I was in Russia to follow the World Cup football as a journalist. And while it is true that I did not have the opportunity to truly know the country, dressed up to be modern to the world, the perception that it brought with me was also certain: in Russia nothing falls unintentionally.
Despite hosting a major event, Russia was nonetheless Russia, the scene of a movie where every scene seemed to be meticulously cared for and treated to be not only what a European expected, but more.
From the policing of the streets to the monuments that shone in the sky of Moscow. Cars drove the streets at a dizzying speed as they left behind cigarette butts and a trail of electronic music. The mistrust with which you looked upon not belonging to that puzzle, while others greeted you on the street as if they were at their house. The fear of throwing a tablet to the ground in a street full of tablets and butts.
Everything was in the right place to be what we could expect from Russia and to disarm us in prejudice immediately, but without getting rid of the feeling that everything could happen there.
If Medvedev resigns as Prime Minister and Putin assumes the will to strengthen parliamentary powers, it will not be because in 2020 the miracle of Russia’s vision of democracy coincided with the European vision.
Of course not. But more frightening is trying to understand how it is not strange to me. How is it common on the Internet to appear jokes in comment on the theme of “with Putin nobody plays eheh”.
When did this happen? When has our freedom become a lift to look at other countries around the world trapped in a system of self-control and abuse of acquired power and all that comes out of us is a reading of Putin’s obvious step or a 10-year-old recycled joke, when Putin had been in power for a decade?
Until when Putin in power?
How far away from Russia is democracy?
When can we take the puzzle of the world apart and do it all over again without major world powers like China, Russia or the US having trouble with the democratic system?
Until when?
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